Israel Police announced Monday that an investigation has been opened against a Border Police officer who was documented throwing a stun grenade at a vehicle with Arab residents and preventing them from leaving the vehicle. The police said the officer's actions were 'not in accordance with procedures' and the case has been transferred to the Police Internal Affairs Department (Mahash).
Israel Police confirmed Monday afternoon that an investigation has been opened against a Border Police officer who was documented throwing a stun grenade at a vehicle with Arab residents at the Qalandiya checkpoint, stating that the officer's actions were "not in accordance with procedures." The Zioneer reported earlier today (Monday, 14:19 Jerusalem) that the Police Internal Affairs Department (Mahash) had opened an investigation; the current statement formally confirms the probe and adds the department's characterization of the officer's conduct. The case has been transferred to Mahash, and the officer's identity has not been released.
The incident first came to light Sunday evening (Jul 5, 22:04 Jerusalem) through unverified reports of a stun grenade thrown into a vehicle near Qalandiya. Shortly thereafter, journalist Ganem Ibrahim reported footage showing the officer throwing the grenade and preventing the driver from exiting. Over the course of Sunday evening, the Border Police officer was suspended from duty, and Mahash launched an investigation. Subsequent reports from journalist Inbar Tvizer (N12) confirmed that the investigation was opened the day after the documentation. Multiple versions of the incident noted that the officer's actions appeared inconsistent with procedures.
The Zioneer reported on June 17 that National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir had instructed his office to examine restricting or removing stun grenades from police use, following a broader protest violence incident. The current incident adds to ongoing scrutiny of police use of stun grenades.
The officer's identity has not been released, and police said they cannot comment further at this stage. The investigation is ongoing. The number of occupants in the vehicle and any potential injuries remain unclear. Earlier reports mentioned that occupants were Arab residents, but their condition has not been detailed. A report in one version of the thread suggested militants may have taunted forces prior to the grenade deployment, but this has not been independently confirmed.
8 developments
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Source and signal
- Internal intake